Inhumane In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

Although we may be loathe to admit it, how we express our feelings for each other are largely dependent upon the circumstances in which we live. In Of Mice And Men by John Steinbeck, the relationship between Lennie Small and George Milton exemplifies the circumstantial nature of friendship and communication. Living in the brutal conditions of The Great Depression, George communicates with the mentally deficient Lennie in ways that may seem harsh to us but are understandable given the pressure he was living under. And although the worst of his actions may seem inhumane, through close examination it can be inferred that his actions were entirely selfless. Rather, he acted out of a very human desire: to protect someone he loved from suffering.

As George tells Lennie, “I could get along so easy and so nice if I didn’t have you on my tail.I could live so easy and maybe have a girl.”(Steinbeck, page 6). This alone speaks for the genuine sense of companionship George feels for Lennie; he is willing to sacrifice a more stable life in order to keep Lennie with him. And although it is perhaps not tasteful nor considerate to remind Lennie of this constantly, it does not diminish the sacrifice George has made in order to essentially care for Lennie, and it is understandable given the endless frustration caring for Lennie inevitably causes. In much of the same way that we often get in disputes with our friends and claim we would be better off without them in our lives, there is no conviction in George’s words. In fact, whenever he expresses anger towards Lennie he immediately regrets it; on page 13, after Lennie offers

However, when we analyze, piece by piece, the circumstances leading up to Lennie’s death and the events that occurred afterwards, it becomes evident that what George did, he did with the belief that it would be the most beneficial option for Lennie. First of all, let’s discuss what Lennie did. Lennie murdered a woman, seemingly in cold blood. Although George knows that it was accidental and that there was no malice involved, others do not. Unlike past scenarios such as in Weed where people became frightened but were unhurt, Lennie has legitimately committed a crime, one that will not be easily forgiven. In this case, there can be no escape, because Lennie’s crime is so egregious that surrounding areas will surely hear about it. This leaves George with only two options: allow Lennie to be captured, tortured, and ultimately killed, or end his life swiftly and somewhat peacefully. Let’s consider for a moment: if George intentions were selfish, why would he bother reminding Lennie about their dream before he kills him, ensuring that his last thoughts are happy ones? It is fitting that the story ends with George wandering off with Slim to a bar somewhere to drown his sorrow, because it symbolizes that he has ultimately become one of the wandering farm-hands that he so despised(Steinbeck, page